O'Donnell Field

The Harvard baseball program boasts what many regard as the finest natural playing field in all of New England. Set behind historic Harvard Stadium, which was built in 1903 and is the nation's oldest football stadium, the Soldier's Field complex has been home to Harvard baseball since 1898.

In 1898, Harvard moved its baseball field to Soldier's Field from Holmes Field, which was located on the Cambridge side of the Charles River. The first official game on Soldier's Field was played on April 27 of that year, a 13-7 Crimson victory over Dartmouth. In its earlier days, Harvard baseball had called Cambridge Common, Boston Common, the Delta, and Jarvis Field home.

Harvard dedicated its baseball field in honor of Joseph J. O'Donnell '67, MBA '71 in a ceremony preceding a doubleheader with Dartmouth on May 4, 1997.

O'Donnell, a football and baseball standout at Harvard and captain of the 1967 Crimson baseball squad, has been a supporter of the College for many years. In 1995, he endowed the baseball program with a $2.5 million gift, enabling Joe Walsh to become the first full-time head coach in the history of Harvard baseball.

Following the dedication ceremony, the Crimson swept the Big Green, 18-3 and 7-6. After renaming its field, Harvard went on to post a 7-2 home record in 1997 while beating a ranked opponent (#19 Massachusetts), winning the Red Rolfe Division title, the Ivy League championship, and a NCAA Play-In series all on its home turf.

The Crimson took its success at O'Donnell Field to new heights in 1998, riding its home-field advantage to an unprecedented 15-0 home record in the 100th anniversary of the program's first season. In the modern history of Harvard baseball, no other Crimson team has gone an entire season without a loss at home. The '98 squad went 13-0 in the regular season at O'Donnell Field (including 10-0 against Ivy League foes) before hosting and sweeping Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Le Moyne College in two straight games in an NCAA Play-In.

The dimensions of O'Donnell Field are 335 down each line, 370 to the gaps, and 415 to center. Capacity seating is 1,600.